Article

La Liga wrap: Levante retake fourth spot

Levante have moved back into La Liga's Champions League spots with a 3-1 win over Granada, although Malaga can regain fourth this weekend.

After a scoreless first half on Saturday, it took Levante just one second-half minute to score.

After Valdo intercepted a loose pass, the Levante winger chipped a cross to Arouna Kone who headed the ball back across Granada's goalkeeper Julio Cesar for the opening goal of the game.

Odion Ighalo equalised for the visitors in the 67th minute but Levante were ahead just six minutes later when Xavi Torres thumped home a knock-down by Valdo from the edge of the penalty area.

After setting up the first two goals, Valdo got on the scoresheet himself when he headed Pedro's cross into the net in the 84th minute.

The victory puts Levante into fourth spot in La Liga, which comes with a European Champions League qualifying spot.

The small club from near Valencia are on 52 points but Malaga, who have the same points total, can push Levante back to fifth with either a draw or a victory on Sunday.

Sporting Gijon could still be playing in La Liga next season after their 3-0 win away to Espanyol.

Adrian Colunga put the visitors in front in the 48th minute with a shot from a tight angle before a mistake on the halfway line allowed Oscar Trejo to break free in the 70th minute to make the score 2-0.

Mate Bilic added a third for Gijon in the 80th minute when he brought down an aerial pass and finished calmly.

The win puts Gijon on 34 points with three games to go, still four points behind Villarreal who they play on Tuesday.

Villarreal blew a 1-0 lead at home on Saturday to draw 1-1 with Osasuna.

Bruno gave the home side the lead a minute before the break but Osasuna hit back in the 72nd minute through Raul Garcia.

In other La Liga results on Saturday, Mallorca defeated Getafe 3-1 and Real Sociedad ensured Racing Santander will be relegated with a 3-0 win.

Article

La Liga preview: Real, Barca out for revenge

28 April 2012 01:43

Real Madrid and Barcelona will look to bounce back from UEFA Champions League heartbreak in this weekend's La Liga action.

Real and Barca - the two giants of Spanish football - were knocked out of the semi-finals in Europe's premier club competition by Bayern Munich and Chelsea respectively in mid-week.

For Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid outfit, they can take some solace in the fact that barring a miracle, they will lift their first La Liga title in four years at the season's end.

Real lead Barcelona by seven points on the table with just four matches to play and they can move another step towards securing the title with victory against Sevilla on Sunday.

"We need to go out on Sunday with pride," Mourinho said in the build-up to the Santiago Bernabeu fixture.

"It is disappointing to have gone out (of the Champions League) because of all the work we put in but now we have four games to finish our season and it is down to us. If we win the championship then it will have been a good season."

Mourinho also clarified the situation surrounding his future, saying that he will continue in his post at the club.

A similar statement has not been heard from Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola though, with an announcement on his future expected Friday.

After winning the Spanish Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup last year, 2012 has not treated Barca kindly.

Winning the league looks beyond them and their semi-final exit to Chelsea - a tie which they led 2-1 on aggregate, with their opponents reduced to 10 men at the Camp Nou - will sting for some time.

They should get back to winning ways when they visit Rayo Vallecano on Sunday though and Guardiola's men still have another opportunity to add to the trophy cabinet when they play Athletic Bilbao on May 25 in the Copa del Rey final.

Also on Sunday, the race for third could be decided at La Rosaleda when fourth-placed Malaga (52 points) host the side directly above them, Valencia (55 points), while Athletic Bilbao travel to Real Zaragoza and Real Betis welcome the visit of Atletico Madrid.

Levante, who sit fifth, are at home to Granada in the pick of Saturday's fixtures, which also see Sporting Gijon's battle for survival take them to Espanyol.

Getafe host Mallorca, Racing Santander visit Real Sociedad and Villarreal are at home to Osasuna in the other matches on Saturday.